The inventor has observed that conventional heating lamps utilized in semiconductor process chambers typically have a profile that allows high air flow about the heating lamp. This high air flow allows cooling of the heating lamp components to temperatures sufficiently low to undesirably allow deposition of materials on the heating lamp components. For example, in heating lamps having a filament fabricated from a material such as tungsten (W), the filament material may sublime and deposit on inner surfaces of the heating lamp. By allowing the filament material to deposit on the inner surfaces of the heating lamp (rather than re-depositing on the filament), the filament becomes depleted, thus causing a weakening and leading to possible failure of the filament.
In addition, conventionally utilized heating lamps typically have a base with smooth surfaces. The inventor has observed that such smooth surfaces do not provide an adequate grip to facilitate removal and/or installation of the heating lamp safely. For example, a user's hand may slip from the base and come in contact with hot or electrically charged components of the heating lamp, thereby causing injury.
Therefore, the inventor has provided an improved heating lamp.